Employer Profile: Clear Water Action, Baltimore, MD

Clean Water Action is hiring a Community Organizer and Grassroots Management Trainee.

Clean Water Action is a one million member organization of diverse people and groups joined together to protect our environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life. Their goals include clean, safe and affordable water; prevention of health threatening pollution; creation of environmentally safe jobs and businesses; and empowerment of people to make democracy work. Clean Water Action organizes strong grassroots groups and coalitions and campaigns to elect environmental candidates and solve environmental and community problems.

Clean Water Action is currently hiring field community organizers to work on local grassroots campaigns to protect the health, economy, environment and livelihood of communities. They are looking to add to their diverse staff of committed, professional, and highly skilled activists to act as front line ambassadors in the communities that they serve.

All new employees receive extensive training and continuing support on sustainability initiatives, communication skills, and political campaign organizing. This position is perfect for students and recent graduates. They are looking for candidates with excellent communication skills. Candidates who possess a strong commitment to environmental, social, and political justice, a positive attitude, and a good sense of humor will be well suited for this role.

Primary Responsibilities:
– Promote action on progressive issues to influence national, state, and local decision makers.
– Provide communication with people that is independent of the mass media
– Recruit members by collecting signatures and contact info.
– Raise funds to support the research, lobbying and educational campaigns
– Identify and activate individuals who wish to participate in other activities, including letter writing, attending meetings, volunteer time, turning out the vote, etc.

In the Chesapeake region, we are currently prioritizing:
– Protect the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, and their shorelines, tributaries and wetlands.
– Reduce health-threatening contamination of our air, water, food and communities.
– Promote clean, renewable energy and combat climate change
– Make polluters pay for environmental damages and enforce environmental law.

Benefits:
– Work with an industry leading environmental non-profit
– Rewarding work with a casual work setting
– Paid training, gain knowledge of local politics, campaign strategies, and environmental issues
– Possibly earn college credit

** 3:00-9:30 PM work hours **
Full time positions Monday-Friday
Part time positions 3 days, Monday-Friday.

Clean Water Action is dedicated to building a movement of strong environmental leaders. For that purpose they are hiring activists that wish to grow within the organization and the movement. The Grassroots Management Trainee positions are open to those who want to develop into Field Managers and Canvass Directors. This is an ideal full time, entry level role for people considering a nonprofit career track. Over the course of a year, you will learn the basics of running a successful grassroots campaign, including, but not limited to, staff management, fundraising and donor recruitment, sustainability initiatives, public policy, and balancing a budget.

Canvass Directors are the leaders of our organizing team. They are responsible for the local success of our grassroots offices across the country.

Responsibilities Include:
– Run the day to day operations of the grassroots organizing effort.
– Create development plans for all staff, meeting with individuals regularly, identifying and cultivating leaders.
– Recruit staff from the local community. Make hiring and firing decisions.
– Plan our local election work to get pro-environment candidates elected.
– Coordinate with organizational program staff and canvass teams to ensure accurate campaign messaging.
– Support Program staff as needed with research, event planning, and organizational communication.
– Ensure quality training focusing on nonprofit management, sustainability initiatives, and public policy.
– Track individual and office performance to identify areas of improvement.
– Provide support and training in the field by canvassing 1-3 days per week.
– Manage annual office budget, monitor monthly expenses.
– Complete payroll and other human resource tasks.

Field Managers play a critical role ensuring success of the organization’s grassroots campaigns.

Responsibilities Include:
– Train, develop, and manage a crew of canvass staff to do high quality community organizing.
– Report to and work with the Canvass Director to recommend who is hired, fired, promoted.
– Analyze crew and individual performance, make recommendations for improvement.
– Carry out administrative, logistic, and financial management responsibilities as necessary to run efficient and safe crews.
– Meet/exceed all canvassing and organizing standards. Understand, educate, and hold staff accountable to organizational policies and procedures.

Qualifications:
– Must have strong communication and motivational skills
– Must be a self starter who can work autonomously
– Desire for political change is essential
– Candidates must be able to work within and lead a team.
– Experience handling many responsibilities preferred

Pay is commensurate with performance, experience, and leadership responsibilities. Full time employees will be eligible for paid sick, vacation and holiday time, company sponsored health and dental care, 401(k), and travel opportunities.